Revenge of the Sixth Young Lady - Chapter 39 - A Special Bolt of Cloth
Chapter 39 A Special Bolt of Cloth
“I want these bolts of cloth.”
Wei Yuewu calmly skipped over the bolt that the old maidservant had brought over to her. Instead, she chose a few other bolts of cloth that didn’t stand out from the rest.
She picked pink and green colors just like average girls. These colors looked very jubilant and thus were suitable for wearing during the spring festival. There were patterns of dancing butterflies on the pink bolt, patterns of peach blossoms on the light green bolt, and patterns of lotus flowers on the cyan bolt…
“Sixth Young Lady, the ones you picked are not as beautiful as that one.”
The old maidservant looked at the bolts Wei Yuewu had picked. She pushed the previous one over and suggested with a smile.
Judging from the overall appearance, it was true that the one that the old maidservant had brought out was far more eye-catching. Whoever wore it would definitely look exceptionally beautiful. There would be many banquets during the spring festival. Considering that these occasions might have positive bearings on their future marriage, which girl didn’t want to stand out at these banquets?
Wasn’t it natural for girls at thirteen or fourteen to hope that a suitable marriage could be arranged for them after they attended these banquets? Therefore, it was of utmost importance for them to pick a beautiful dress.
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“These bolts are fine.”
Wei Yuewu shook her head. She said so as she pointed at the bolts she had chosen.
The old maidservant could say no more but bring the ruler over.
She had intended to continue her persuasion. However, after seeing Wei Yuewu’s displeased expression, she shut her mouth consciously.
It was said that this sixth young lady was not someone to be trifled with. Two days ago, even the Second Lady and the Second Young Lady had been scolded because of her. What was more perplexing was that the most favored Second Young Lady was even grounded after that?
It was also said that the Madam Dowager had called in the Second Lady and the Second Master and severely censured them.
This kind of thing had never happened in the mansion of Marquis Hua Yang. All servants in the mansion were thrown into astonishment. Consequently, no servant dared to be disrespectful to this newly-arrived Sixth Young Lady.
The old maidservant from the sewing room behaved herself and took the measurements, noted the numbers down and respectfully retreated.
“Shufei, go and see where they are going next.”
Looking at the fluttering curtain, Wei Yuewu drooped her eyes. She said coolly as she carefully used the lid of the teacup to scatter the tea foam.
She had picked Shufei and Huamo to be her maids because of their steady manner and cleverness when they were standing in the crowd.
However, what counted most was not smartness but whether they could be useful to her. The only way to draw the conclusion was to observe them through time. Of course, smartness alone was not enough. The most important was loyalty!
“Yes, I will go immediately.”
Shufei put down the clothes she was tidying up and answered. Then, she followed the old maidservants out.
Not long after that, Shufei came back. “Miss, the old maidservants from the sewing room went to the Third Lady’s place first after they left here. I followed them for a while and found that they seemed to have remembered something when they were about to reach the entrance of the Third Lady’s courtyard. Then they turned around and I followed them up again. I saw that they finally entered the Second Lady’s courtyard.”
Wei Yuewu was very satisfied with Shufei’s detailed answer. At least, Shufei was not so imprudent as to come back after only taking a careless look.
Actually, Wei Yuewu asked Shufei to follow the old maidservants because she wanted to verify if she had guessed correctly. Just as she had expected, before those old maidservants from the sewing room came to her, they had met Lady Li and Wei Yan.
The colors that were fewer in number than the other colors must be Wei Yan’s favorite colors and picked by her!
The back courtyard of the mansion of Marquis Hua Yang was divided into three sections. The yards on the right side of the mansion were occupied by Lady Zhang, along with the Third Young Lady, the Fourth Young Lady and her two sons, as well as the Third Master’s concubines.
Lady Li, together with the Second Young Lady, the First Young Master, and the Second Master’s concubines lived in the yards on the left side of the mansion.
The branch of Marquis Hua Yang, the nominal master of the mansion, occupied the middle part of the mansion.
It sounded like Marquis Hua Yang was still most respected among the three branches. However, the combined number of the yards on the right and in the middle was in fact lower than the number of yards on the left.
Marquis Hua Yang, Wei Luowen, rarely stayed in the capital. His wife had long since passed away. The marquis did not remarry after that. Although there were a concubine and a daughter born to the concubine beside Wei Luowen, they had been living with him in the border town. As for Wei Yuewu, she had been raised in her maternal grandparents’ home.
It could be said that the bloodline of Wei Luowen, namely the first branch of the family, existed only in name in the mansion of Marquis Hua Yang in the capital.
Everyone knew that the second branch was in real charge of the back courtyard. Moreover, the Second Master was now the Minister of Works in the capital, and his eldest daughter was married to the Heir-apparent of the Prince of Nan’an!
By contrast, Wei Luowen didn’t even have a son to succeed him.
The second branch seemed the true owner of the mansion of Marquis Hua Yang in every perspective.
If Wei Luowen still didn’t have a son when he died, his title would most likely pass on to the eldest son of the second branch!
Marquis Hua Yang himself was also aware of this possibility. That was why he let the eldest son of the second branch follow him and treated him as his own son.
As for the third branch, the Third Master only held an insignificant position. His two daughters were unmarried. His two sons, though they were studying, were also not outstanding. Therefore, the third branch was overwhelmed by the second branch in every aspect.
The Lotus Courtyard, where Wei Yuewu was currently living, had belonged to the first branch.
However, Lady Li had her eye on this courtyard and gave it to Wei Yan with just a few tricks. No criticism was heard from anyone!
It was evident how powerful the second branch was in the mansion!
Although Wei Yan was grounded and Lady Li was punished to run the mansion along with Lady Zhang, her power was only weakened on the surface. In reality, the impact was very little! Lady Li had been managing the back courtyard of the mansion of Marquis Hua Yang for quite many years. It was impossible for Lady Zhang to change the situation overnight.
From this analysis, it was not surprising that those from the sewing room would listen to Lady Li and Wei Yan.
“Huamo, go to the sewing room and get some needles and threads. Just say that I want to do some needlework.
Ask about the satin by the way, especially about the pink bolt of cloth that was dyed jade-white. I want to know where it came from!”
Wei Yuewu blinked her eyes. There was a touch of coldness around the corner of her rosy lips.
Huamo liked doing needlework, so she was very concerned about fabrics and yarns. She was the best person to inquire about this matter.
The cloth that the old maidservant had repeatedly recommended was indeed the best among the cloth, whether in terms of the color or the flower pattern. Whoever saw that bolt would choose it at first sight.
However, it was really suspicious that Wei Yan didn’t choose it despite her temperament.
Wei Yuewu did not think that Wei Yan would ever think of letting others choose first.
Judging from all signs, Lady Li and Wei Yan definitely wanted to plot against her.
That was for certain. They had failed again and again. Lady Li was injured in her face; Wei Yan was scolded by the Madam Dowager after disgracing herself; and even the marriage between Wei Yan and Mo Huating seemed hopeless. How could they possibly stay calm? It was not surprising that they would make a move against her.
No matter how Lady Li and Wei Yan would plot against her, this matter started from the sewing room. Then she should start her investigation from the sewing room!
“What? Wei Yuewu didn’t pick this bolt?”
Lady Li said coldly with a sullen expression as she looked at the female supervisor of the sewing room.
The wound on her face was still bandaged, which made her look less beautiful but more ferocious. Her originally pretty eyes somehow appeared terrifying. As she stared at the supervisor, the latter was totally scared!
However, the supervisor felt wronged as well. She had been certain she could complete the task. She just couldn’t figure out why the Sixth Young Lady hadn’t picked this bolt.
“Mother, did that little bitch discover anything?”
Wei Yan was also there. Although she was grounded, the distance between the two yards was so close that she could secretly come over. The servants in the mansion would not offend Lady Li for such a triviality. Hence they pretended not to see Wei Yan and did not report to the Madam Dowager.
“It’s impossible for her to know anything.”
Lady Li shook her head as she touched the smooth cloth. Wei Yuewu was only a girl who had just arrived in the capital and had only one useful maid beside her. Lady Li would never believe that Wei Yuewu could see through each of her plans.
“Go and make her a dress with this cloth too.”
“But Second Lady…the Sixth Young Lady didn’t pick this cloth…” The old maidservant from the sewing room stammered.
“Aren’t you going to take the cloth back to the Madam Dowager later? You can just say that this cloth quite suits that cheap girl and she also liked it very much. She didn’t pick it just because she had picked enough. She thought it was not good to pick more, so she reluctantly put it down.”
Lady Li reminded the old maidservant. Her eyes flashed with fierceness.
“But this cloth is so good. Won’t the Fourth Young Lady and the Fifth Young Lady like it too?”
The old maidservant still had misgivings.
“You silly servant, can’t you just put the cloth here first? You can come back again and take it away after those two are done with picking.”
Wei Yan couldn’t help slapping the table and she upbraided the old maidservant angrily.
Lady Li didn’t say anything. She only looked at the old maidservant coldly. Her stare was such that the old maidservant didn’t dare to stay any longer. Leaving that most outstanding cloth behind, she hurriedly brought the rest cloth away.
“Mother, is the message from my eldest sister true?”
“Don’t worry. Your sister has always been well-informed, and the mansion of Prince Nan’an is highly regarded by His Majesty. Of course it’s true.”
Lady Li nodded and comforted Wei Yan.
Her face was a little livid. In fact, she wished she could tear Wei Yuewu apart. Her face was now injured, and she was even disliked by her husband, who had been spending the night at that bitch’s place these past few days. Her heart burned with hatred at this thought!
The title clearly belonged to her husband, and her daughter was the true first daughter of the mansion of Marquis Hua Yang!
As for Wei Yuewu, she should have died in the wilderness a long time ago. However, after all those calculations, Wei Yuewu actually managed to survive!
“Mother, can I follow you there in secret? I just want to see how embarrassing Wei Yuewu will be. I want to see if she will have the face to put on that dignified air in front of me again in the future.”
Wei Yan said resentfully as she twisted her handkerchief.
“No, you can’t. Your grandmother won’t let you out. It’s already good enough that you can still move around in the mansion now. If you cause any trouble again, that old woman won’t forgive you.”
Lady Li hated her daughter for having caused trouble again. She pointed in the direction of the Madam Dowager’s place and warned her daughter in a low voice.
“Don’t worry, Mother. I’ll go secretly. Grandmother loves me the most. Even if she finds out, she won’t punish me. She’ll probably reprimand me at most. It’ll be fine.”
Seeing Lady Li’s repeated obstruction, Wei Yan rolled her eyes. An idea flashed across her mind!
